Through his unique vision and insights, Ting revolutionised traditional Chinese landscape painting, created a new schema and a new brush language, and made possible the transition to a modern version of the genre. His works and accomplishments play a catalytic role in the evolution of contemporary art, while his unprecedented take on landscape paintings leaves an indelible footprint, making his artistic legacy all the more worthy of further inquiries.
Having attributed his own feelings to nature, Ting viewed it as a living creature just like himself, and as a result, the mountains and the waters in his paintings emphatically resemble his joyful sensations. Or as Xin Qiji, a majestic poet of the Song Dynasty, put it, “when I see the green mountain, I find it to be charming. Supposedly, the green mountain will find me so as well.” Indeed, Ting’s landscape paintings thus turn into a haven for his soul.
Gong Yunbiao
Summer, 2018
Shanghai